By Alex Shuman
Staff Writer

FSU Athletic Center

This year marks the celebration of the Framingham State Athletic and Recreation Center’s tenth anniversary.

According to Mark Greenfield, Athletic and Recreation Center manager, said FSU did not have a suitable gym for varsity teams to play in or for students to exercise prior to the opening of the center in 2001.

After about thirty years of planning and delay, the Framingham State Athletic and Recreation Center opened its doors to all students and faculty members on Nov. 16, 2001.

Greenfield said since the opening of the center in 2001, fitness and recreational activity have increased on campus. He added that 10 years ago, varsity teams were forced to play games at gyms off campus.

Prior to the center’s opening, aerobics classes were only led by one instructor holding three classes per week. Pick-up basketball games and workout sessions were less convenient as students were required to travel off campus and pay for membership at other recreational centers.

According to a Sept. 28, 2001 article in The Gatepost, “Contractor causes delay in new gym,” the initial cost of the Athletic Center was projected to be just over $12 million, with $5.6 million coming directly from the university budget and $750,000 from the state. However, the construction costs of the building reached $15 million.

Today, athletes and students alike have a home gym they can use whenever they wish. Greenfield said the Athletic Center staff has noticed an increase in students participating in intramural games such as hockey, basketball and soccer over the past ten years.

“This building has affected every area of sports and recreation,” he said.

Students take advantage of aerobics classes, which are typically held 12 times a week, such as zumba, yoga, pilates and spinning. The Athletic Center also provides personal trainers to assist students and faculty by developing a workout plan and providing motivation.

According to Greenfield, the Athletic Center has also been an important development for students’ social lives. The Juice Bar, which is also located in the center, has contributed to the success of the building. The Juice Bar has been a hot spot for students in between classes and a popular place to seek replenishment after long workouts.

Greenfield said having a gym on campus also allows students the chance to encounter their classmates and friends in a more carefree environment, rather than a classroom.

Before the Athletic Center was established, the only recreational area on campus was in Dwight Hall, and is better known by older alumni as “The Pit.”

Greenfield added that the old gymnasium was in poor condition and did not meet the standards for crowd capacity for home games to be held there. The gym was also primarily booked for varsity practices, so students didn’t have a place to simply go and shoot hoops.

In recent years, the athletic department has made developments by replacing machinery to ensure proper operation. In the past 10 years, the Athletic Center has received about $100,000 in new equipment.

The FSU website has links to the Athletics Center’s programs, including registration information for intramural sports, schedules for aerobics classes and future varsity sporting events.

The establishment of the Athletic Center has had a great impact on campus-wide fitness. Greenfield, who has worked with the FSU Athletics Department since August 2001, has seen the progression of the center and how it has helped students and faculty improve their health and well-being.

Recently, Greenfield began sending out success story e-mails to the campus community to show the impact the center has had on the FSU.

Greenfield said the recreation center has “allowed our teams to perform better, our aerobics classes to expand, our intramurals to grow and our kids to get into shape.”

Senior track runner Joe Jarvis said, “The gym and treadmills are helpful when the weather gets bad to keep up with exercising.”

Kim Knight, a senior who plays soccer recreationally, said, “The Athletic Center is convenient for commuters like myself. It provides a workout area that’s easy to access with good equipment.”

Junior basketball player Ben Cavicchi said, “I use the gym usually on a daily basis. It’s the best place to go to practice.”